Russians have become more likely to prefer independent travel

More than half of the Russians surveyed (55%) said they prefer completely independent travel planning. This is stated in the results of a study of the Kupibilet air and railway ticket purchase service, which was reviewed by Izvestia on March 27.

At the same time, 23% of respondents trust the planning of travel companies. Another 19% of respondents rely on the help of friends or family, and 3% use information from blogs and specialized applications.

When choosing independent travel planning, the respondents indicated several key factors. For half (51%), flexibility was the most important, allowing them to personalize the trip to suit their interests. Reliability was chosen by 30% of compatriots, while saving money was a priority for 9%, and saving time for 8%.

Abkhazia was taken off pause: Russian tourists have increased demand for holidays in the republic

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Energy canceled the recommendations not to visit it and not to sell tours there.

"Expanding the possibilities of self-planning creates a new, more sophisticated traveler. People are becoming more informed, actively seeking unique experiences, and willing to invest time in organizing their vacations. The growth of independent travelers stimulates the development of small and medium—sized businesses in the field of hospitality and services, as well as increases competition between various travel service providers," said Andrey Maslak, Kupibilet's Product Director.

Earlier, on February 23, OneTwoTrip, a travel planning service, told Izvestia about popular spring destinations. According to their information, Russians often choose Sochi, Lake Ladoga and Dagestan for recreation. Experts singled out Egypt, Japan and Turkey among the foreign destinations.